Winds of Destiny
by Soundspeed
Summary: Link, a simple boy from Outset Island, learns that fate has much more in store for him when one day a huge, menacing bird flies overhead, followed closely by a strange ship... A novelization of The Wind Waker.


Nintendo owns all rights to _The Legend of Zelda_. I don't claim to own them. This work is not intended for any form of profit and has been written without permission.

I could write so much stuff here that it'd probably fill up a whole page. Unfortunately, introductions aren't particularly interesting most of the time and most people don't have the patience to read them anyway. That being said, I'll proceed to fill up enough space to satisfy myself but keep within the bounds of your (undoubtedly) waning interest.

I really just wanted to say, I love the Wind Waker. A lot people knock it because of the graphics without even actually playing it (like a few kids I know), which makes me one sad camper. I guess it makes a little sense though; after all, graphics _are_ the only thing that matter, right?

One more minor thing to note, by the way, is that I used all of the American names for the islands (in case that was a concern for anyone). I do like many of the Japanese names better, but after a long, strenuous decision (and by strenuous I mean thinking about it for around ten minutes while guzzling a soda), I opted for the Americanized ones to avoid confusion.

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**Winds of Destiny**

Chapter 1: _Departure_

The full moon shone down upon the ocean, casting its light over the smooth waters and illuminating the dark night sky. The ocean waters reflected the light, mirroring the great pale orb in an attempt to match its luminescence.

A ripple passed through the water, disturbing the calm. That ripple soon became a wave as a tall wooden ship cut through the water like a knife, casting wake in both directions off its bow. On the edge of the hull there were stenciled letters, faded beyond readability by time and corrosion.

On deck, none stirred save for the helmsman and a lone figure, pacing back and forth upon the wooden structure. Her blond hair blew in the gentle breeze as she took in the nighttime serenity. The floorboards creaked beneath her feet, and she could hear the cheerful rustle as the sails caught the prevailing wind, carrying the ship onward. To her, this was a way of life. Her name was Tetra, and she was leader of the pirates that called the ship their home.

"Miss Tetra," Senza, the helmsman, called from behind her. "It's late. You should get some rest."

She didn't feel the least bit tired, but she knew he was right. Senza had always had good common sense. "Tell me," she replied, gazing directly off the bow. "What is that island we're approaching?"

Senza also knew much about the ocean and its landmasses, and was ready with an answer. "That, Miss Tetra, is none other than Outset Island."

She'd never heard of it before, but that didn't come as any surprise to her. The ocean was vast, and for a pirate, she was exceptionally young. In fact, it was odd that she was a pirate at all due to her being female. She relied mostly on Senza and the others for guidance, but despite her seeming lack of knowledge about the world, the others always obeyed her every order without question. In fact, they treated her like family.

She sat pondering to herself a while more while Senza started humming an old pirate tune, when suddenly, the sky went dark, the moonlight blocked out by some unknown force. Tetra looked up to see a dark shape, barely visible against the night sky. "What is that…" she murmured.

Senza had noticed it as well, and had diverted his gaze from the horizon. "It looks to me like some sort of bird, Miss…"

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Outset Island was home to a quiet community, a small village with only a few people. It was nothing compared to the busy town of Windfall Island, but the people there got on just fine, happy to live simply on their small yet sustaining island.

The one thing that set this certain island aside from others, though, was their set of customs pertaining to the ancient Hero of Time. Legend had it that long ago, an evil force had risen to threaten the kingdom of Hyrule, only to be driven away by a young boy. Named the Hero of Time for his exploits, the boy then vanished suddenly, leaving Hyrule defenseless against the force's return. The people of the kingdom appealed to the gods and after that, no one really knew what happened. The story was passed down through generations though, and on Outset Island it was customary to dress boys in green for their thirteenth birthdays; the age of the Hero.

"Brother! Big Brother! Wake up!"

Whoever was yelling wasn't going to stop anytime soon. Link opened his eyes groggily and sat up with a yawn. He'd been napping in the lookout tower on the edge of the island, only to be awoken by his little sister. The boy was dressed simply, wearing a blue shirt that hung down to his knees and orange trousers. His sister, the girl who'd awoken him, was a similar affair, blond hair with a long, flowing blue dress.

She smiled. "Link, Grandma sent me to get you!"

Link groaned. "But Aryll, I already did all my chores…" he said absentmindedly, close to nodding off again.

Aryll ruffled his hair playfully, waking him up again. "No silly, she wants to see you about…oh don't tell me you've forgotten it's your birthday, have you?"

Link sat upright again, his messy blond hair blowing freely in the wind after his sister's job on it. "Huh? Oh, guess it is…how about that…" He stood up, stretched, and smiled at his sister. "Guess I'd better go see what she wants, huh?"

He turned and descended down the ladder, his sister calling, "I'll be up here if you need me!"

The walk to his house wasn't far; just a short trek across the beach. He was nearing his house when he heard a voice cry out, "Link! Hey, Link!"

He turned to see an aging man with a long, sweeping beard calling to him from a doorway. "Link, I need to show you something."

Link shook his head. "Sorry Orca, but Grandma really wants to see me. Maybe some other time."

Orca nodded understandingly and retreated back into his house. Link, not really wanting to run into anyone else, burst into his own house out of breath. His grandmother was standing there smiling.

"My Link, what's the hurry?" she said, embracing him. "You're all out of breath."

He smiled. "I just wanted to see you so bad, Grandma."

She laughed heartily. "Well, isn't that just like my grandson? Come, Grandma has something for you."

His curiosity piqued, he followed her up the ladder to the second level of their house. She stood in front of the family crest, a shield with two crossed wooden swords underneath.

"Link, it's your thirteenth birthday today, so I made these for you!" she said happily, showing him an odd-looking outfit. It consisted of a long-sleeved green tunic and hood with white trousers and brown boots.

"Wow…thanks, er…Grandma," he said hesitantly, not quite sure what would possess anyone to make—let alone wear—an outfit like that. Mentally, he was praying that she wouldn't say those cursed three words—

"Try it on," she said, smiling.

_Dang it._ Nothing else for it, he self-consciously took off his own clothes, making sure his grandmother wasn't looking, and put on the strange, green outfit. It fit perfectly.

"Ooh, they look so good on you!" his grandmother proclaimed, turning around to look at him. "I'll bet you look just like the ancient hero did!"

"Was the ancient hero always burning hot?" he groaned, already starting to sweat inside the thick fabric of the tunic.

She frowned for a moment. "Whoops, guess I hadn't thought of that…well, you only have to wear it today, okay Link?"

He smiled. "Thanks Grandma," he said, embracing her again.

She laughed. "Now, go and fetch Aryll. I'm making you both your favorite soup tonight! Don't want to miss that!"

"I sure don't!" Link cried, leaping off the platform down to the first level, something that always scared the daylights out of his much-less athletic grandmother.

A short trip across the beach and one brief climb later, Link found himself at the top of the tower again with his sister.

"That's a funny-looking outfit," she said, giggling. "Did Grandma give it to you?"

"Yes," he said. "Don't rub it in."

"I'm not," she protested, pouting. "Wow, it must be really hot wearing that though…"

"That's it," he said, grabbing her playfully around the waist and lifting her up. "You're going in the drink!"

She giggled. "Throw me in and you won't get to find out what my surprise is!"

Link put her back down immediately. "Okay, okay, I give up. What's the surprise?"

She laughed uncontrollably at her big brother's antics. "Well Link, since it's your birthday today," she said between laughs, "I thought…I'd give you…this!" She held out her telescope.

Link was stunned. This was her most treasured possession…and she was giving it to him? "Wow Aryll…I don't know what to say!"

She smiled affectionately. "You don't need to say anything. You're my big brother. Happy birthday!"

He hugged his sister tightly. "Thank you Aryll…I'll take good care of it!"

He got up suddenly. Something didn't seem right…

There was a piercing cry from above, and Link and Aryll leaned out of the tower and gazed upward and saw a monstrous black bird flying low over the island. It seemed to be pursued by a large ship.

A blasting noise echoed through the air, and Link turned and saw the ship firing at the bird.

"Link!" Aryll cried, tugging at the sleeve of his tunic. "I think that bird has something in its claws!"

Link focused the telescope at the bird's feet, and sure enough, it was holding something—a girl. She had golden-blond hair and was clad in a simple, ragged outfit. Another shot rang out, and the bird gave a horrid scream of distress as the cannonball connected with its head, causing it to lose its grip on the girl…dropping her straight into the Great Fairy Forest.

"Stay here," he ordered, clambering down the ladder.

"Where are you going!?" Aryll cried in distress. "Please Link, don't leave!"

"I'll be back," he said firmly. "I promise. Now please, stay here!"

"Be careful!" she called over the side as he reached the bottom.

To tell the truth, at this point Link really wasn't quite sure what he thought he was going to do. Getting to the forest was easy enough, but he had a feeling there might be trouble when he got there…

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The inside of Orca's small dwelling was furnished simply, with a bed in the corner and a table and chairs against the opposite wall. Against the third wall was an enormous piece of driftwood that he'd found, now scraped and scarred by his various exercises.

Orca stretched for a moment, preparing for yet another drill, and then charged the driftwood slab, spear in hand. At the last moment he pulled up, and using his momentum, hurled the spear into the wood with a loud _thud_.

"ARGH! Can't you keep it quiet down there!?" a voice yelled from above. "I'm trying to study!"

"My apologies brother, I will try to stay quieter," he called up to the above floor where his brother lived. "My, he's grumpy today…"

He sat for a moment, wondering whether or not to attempt the exercise again when his door burst open, slamming against the wall loudly.

"I said, keep it—"

"ALL RIGHT!" he hollered upstairs. "I've got it! That wasn't even me!"

A very out-of-breath Link stood in the doorway, embarrassment spreading across his features. "Um…am I here at a bad time?"

"No, no," Orca replied, giving a welcoming gesture. "Come right in. A simple misunderstanding with my brother is all." He noticed the expression on the boy's face and sighed. "Link, is there something troubling you, my friend?"

Link nodded. "It's an emergency. I need to go to the forest!"

Orca thought for a moment, the location vague to him. "You mean Great Fairy Forest on the cliffs?"

"Yeah!" Link exclaimed maybe a little more loudly than he meant to. Lowering his voice, he said, "I think I need something for protection."

"Ah!" Orca said, realization hitting him. "And that's why you're here, correct?"

"That's why I'm here," Link agreed.

"Well, of all coincidences!" Orca proclaimed, proceeding to a chest of drawers by his table. From it he produced a long, slender bundle. He handed ceremoniously to Link. "Remember earlier? I was going to give this to you, seeing as you're now the age of the Hero!"

Link carefully unwrapped the bundle, his face lighting up. "Oh Orca, it's wonderful!" A magnificent sword lay in his hands. It was light, but Link could tell the metal was incredibly strong. The hilt was wound in leather, with a sapphire engraved at the base of the blade on both sides. He swung it experimentally a few times, hearing it sing as it whirled through the air.

"That," Orca said, "is fabled to be the very sword that the Hero of Time possessed."

"Wow," Link breathed, completely entranced.

"You must use it with responsibility and care though," Orca warned. "This weapon is not one to be used recklessly. Only one with the heart and intentions of a hero can truly wield it!"

Link's eyes shone with this new responsibility laid on him. "I will remember that, Orca," he said proudly. "Thank you so much!" He turned and left.

"Ah, children," the old man sighed. "They're so fast to grow up…"

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Filled with a new sense of urgency, Link hurried on his way to the forest. It was an exhausting journey though; Great Fairy Forest was located on top of a tall cliff and the only path that lead up there was very steep, and wasn't exactly an enjoyable hike. Link arrived at the top out of breath, sweating partially due to exertion and also because of the abnormally warm outfit his grandmother was making him wear. He sat for a moment on a flat rock that overlooked the cliff face.

"Whew, what a long climb!" he sighed in between heavy panting. "Water would be nice right about now…"

He gazed over the edge, down to the crystal-clear water below. Just the sight of it made him want to jump in and just sink, letting the cool flow into him, providing relief from his strenuous task. He thought back a few years to when he used to hurl himself off the cliff into the water below, scaring everyone to death as he landed harmlessly, missing the rocky cove at the bottom by just a few feet. It had caught up with him though, and when in one incident he'd broken both an arm and a leg, the game was quickly brought to an end. Shaking the daydream off, he reluctantly got up and resumed his journey.

Outset Island was unique in its structure; the island appeared to almost be split right down the middle, the sides joined together by a deep underwater trench. The cliffs were split as well, the path upward on one side, the forest on the other. The only way across was a small, rickety wooden rope bridge. That was the bridge Link was on now.

"Don't look down," he told himself. "Whatever you do, don't look down…" He cried out suddenly when a plank gave way underfoot. It seemed that gravity would take its cruel toll on him, but he narrowly saved himself by grabbing the rope siding at the last second. "I hate this bridge," he said through clenched teeth. He carefully hauled himself back up and finished the journey across, none too slowly.

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"Link!" Aryll cried as he fell through the bridge. Wasting no time, she bolted down the ladder and across the beach to the entrance to the path up the cliff. She glanced over again and saw him dangling in the air, holding on only to the rope structure of the bridge. "Hang on, I'm coming!" She gazed upward. "Oh, it's such a long climb…"

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Great Fairy Forest, despite its name, was a dark, eerie place, filled with strange sounds and a general creepy air. The trees grew tall and menacing, casting one big shadow over all the ground, their canopies blocking out almost all sunlight.

"Great, rickety bridges, and now this place," Link muttered, fingering the hilt of his sword. "It just keeps getting better…"

There was a rustle behind him. He froze and listened intently, but heard no other sounds. He relaxed a bit and continued walking. He was just beginning to think the heat may have been getting to him when he heard an audible _crack_ from off to the side of him.

He whirled around, sword in hand, just in time to see a dark shape dart off through the shrubbery. There was no doubt in his mind now: he wasn't alone. And it didn't make him feel any better.

Mustering up his courage (after all, he had a sword), he called out in what he hoped was a strong sounding voice, "Who's there? Show yourself!"

"Aw, so you got me," a low voice rumbled, startling him. A large, dark figure stepped out from behind the bushes directly in front of him. It cut a comical figure, somewhat resembling an overgrown pig, but there wasn't anything funny about the large scythe it carried. Its face was pulled back in an eternal sneer. Link recognized it immediately.

"I've heard about you guys," he said in an awed voice. "You're a…a moblin!"

"Well, took you long enough," the moblin said snidely. "Just what's a little squirt like you doing in MY woods?"

A wave of anger and indignation flooded through Link, and he felt a little more confident filled with these emotions. "They're not your woods," he shot back. "They belong to all the people of Outset Island!"

The moblin leaned casually on his scythe handle. "Wanna fight me for it?"

Link knew he wasn't going to get out of this any other way, so he nodded slowly and said, "All right. I accept."

Of course, moblin fighting was quite different from any human style of fighting. Moblins fought dirty, resorting to cheating at every possible opportunity. Not a second after Link had finished his sentence the creature was upon him, knocking him to the ground and bludgeoning him senseless with the shaft of his scythe.

Link saw stars as he was pummeled in the face over and over again with the wooden shaft. Struggling to stay conscious, he kicked the creature's legs out from under him and rolled out of the way, sending the moblin crashing down where he had just laid.

He got up, and put his hand to his nose. It came away red. He coughed, and said, "Hey…no fair…"

"I'm a moblin," the guy said, also getting up. "We don't fight fair."

Link, senses partially recovered, jumped clumsily out of the way as the creature went charging past, slamming into a stone wall. Almost reflexively, without thinking, Link drew his sword and plunged it into the creature. There was an awful scream and the moblin exploded in a cloud of purple gas, leaving nothing behind.

Realizing what he'd just done, Link slumped to the ground and started to cry. His body ached all over and he was bleeding, but he didn't care. All he could think about was what he just did.

"Hey! You! Will you stop your blubbering for one second?"

Link gazed upward, sniffling, at the source of the voice. He saw it was the blond-haired girl, standing in front of him. A strange feeling came over him for a moment, but he couldn't quite describe it. He shook it off quickly as she said, "What's up with you?"

"You…you're all right?" he said through sniffles.

She gave a small, confident smile. "It takes more than some ol' bird to hurt me. Now will you stop crying long enough to tell me what's going on?"

He stood up, wiping tears away. "It's just that…I've never killed anything before in my life…"

Her face softened. "Aw come on, it was just a moblin. They all deserve it anyway." She fumbled through her pockets and produced a rag which she dampened on the dew of some nearby plants. She passed it to him and said, "Here, you look like you've taken a beating."

He smiled gratefully through damp eyes. "Thanks. It's different for you though. You're a pirate, right?"

Her smile faded. "Yes, that's right. Which reminds me, I've gotta get back to my ship!" As if on a second thought, she turned around and said, "My name's Tetra, by the way. And don't think on that too much, you'll get used to it," she finished, referring to the moblin.

"Wait!" Link cried, on impulse. "I'm…coming with you…" his voice trailed off at the end, realizing what he'd said but too late to catch himself.

She looked at him pityingly, and said, "What is wrong with you?"

He shrugged and stared dumbly, unable to think of a reply.

She gave him an odd look, as if she'd realized something, and said finally, "And what the heck is up with that stupid outfit?"

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Aryll was out of breath as she reached the cliff summit. She walked tentatively out onto the rope bridge, glancing for a moment at the spot where Link had broken through. He must have gotten back up by himself.

"Oh, I wonder where he went," she said worriedly. There didn't seem to be any sign of her brother anywhere.

Then, she heard shouting coming from the other end of the bridge.

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"Aryll!" Link was yelling while tearing across the cliff top as fast as he possibly could. "ARYLL!"

Tetra ran along behind him, not sure what the commotion was about. But then again, she hadn't seen what he had…

"What's all this about?" she breathed. "What's he all worked up about? And just who is Aryll?"

"Aryll! LOOK OUT!" Link cried, dashing out onto the bridge. But he was too slow; too late. The giant, dark bird dove down, and in one horrible instant, snatched his sister in its clutches and took off, flying in the other direction. "ARYLL!" Link screamed in distress, rushing blindly toward the cliff edge without any other thought.

"Hey! Watch out!" Tetra cried, throwing herself forward on top of him, knocking Link over just as he reached the edge. "You were gonna go right over the edge there!"

Link gazed hopelessly as the bird disappeared into the horizon. "Aryll…," he sobbed, face buried in the ground. "I couldn't do anything to save her…"

"Will you put a plug in that faucet of yours?" Tetra said scornfully, getting up off of him. "You're going to drown this whole island, sitting there like that. Now, your sister's gone. Bad thing, sure. But sitting there crying all day isn't going to do anything about it. But hey, it's not my problem. So I'll see you later." Without another word, she turned and proceeded down the path.

Link rose up, his sadness now replaced with anger. "Hey!" he called indignantly, running after the pirate. "Wait a second! You can't just leave!"

"Just watch me," she replied over her shoulder.

He caught up with her and spun her around to face him, none too gently. "Don't you even _care_? My sister was just taken away by some psychotic bird from who-knows-where and you're just going to walk away and pretend it didn't happen?!"

"If you knew where that bird came from," she said darkly, "you'd stay away too."

That threw him for a moment. "_You _know where it came from?" The two had reached the bottom now. "Then you can take me there, in your ship!"

"No way," she said immediately. "Out of the question. You wouldn't last one day on the open sea."

"Well I have to do something!" he cried, frustrated. "I can't just sit here. You said it yourself!"

Tetra was about to make a very rude reply when suddenly there was a gust of wind, and a winged figure descended beside them. At first glance, one might think he was a cross between a man and a bird. His nose was shaped like a beak, wings protruding from his back. The ends of the long sleeves of his maroon tunic drooped low to his ankles, giving him a strange, hawk-like appearance. His hair was white, which reinforced the comparison.

"Quill!" Link exclaimed. "It's nice to see you!"

Quill nodded, smiling. "The same here, Link." Quill had a light brown bag slung around his shoulder, bearing the mark of his people, the Rito tribe of Dragon Roost Island. They worked as postmen, flying to all the different islands on the ocean and delivering mail, parcels, and other things, hence the mailbag. And each postman had a designated route, so it would have been safe to assume that Link and Quill knew each other quite well.

Quill frowned. "But by the expression on your face, I'd say all is not well."

Link shuffled his feet slowly, reluctant to relive the experience by telling the tale. "Well…"

Tetra interrupted. "His sister was kidnapped by this giant bird." She said it as thought it were some everyday happening.

A look of concern crossed the Rito postman's features. "Surely, you do not mean the dreaded beast of the—"

"—Forsaken Fortress?" Tetra finished. "Yeah, unfortunately. Which is exactly why I'm _not_ taking Mr. Hero here to follow it. If you want to commit suicide, then there are some nice, high cliffs on this island, right over in that direction."

"Now hold on a minute," Quill protested before Link could open his mouth. "I'd say you at least owe Link the chance to save his sister. He rescued you, didn't he?"

Tetra crossed her arms, annoyed. "If you could call it that. What happened was he slew a moblin with that sword of his and got all weepy about it. I didn't need his help."

"Nevertheless, he still had the _thought_ to come save you," Quill said disgustedly. "I think you owe him that much."

Tetra sighed, debating with herself. Finally, she said, "Fine. He can come," she said, as though Link weren't there at all. "But…" she acknowledged him for the first time in a while, "…you'll need to go and get yourself a shield. It's a dangerous world out there, especially near places like the Forsaken Fortress."

"A shield! Okay!" Link called, already running in the direction of his house. "Be back in a few minutes!"

"Five minutes!" Tetra yelled, cutting him off.

"You really should give him a chance," Quill cut in. "I think he'll prove himself beyond your expectations, however low they may be."

"Aw, who asked you?" Tetra replied severely.

"I'm only voicing my humble opinion," the Rito finished mildly.

"Well it's annoying. You should mind your own business," she said, walking back toward her ship, which had docked on the beachside. Senza had run out to greet her. "Come on Senza, prepare to cast off. We may or may not have someone joining us."

"Depending on…?" Senza put in, treading lightly on what he assumed to be thin ice.

"Depending on how fast he gets back here." Tetra finished the sentence for him. "Now let's move!"

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"Grandma! Grandma!" Link cried as he burst into his house, breathless. "Grandma, I—"

"Link?" came a call from the upper level. "I'm up here."

Her tone worried Link somewhat, and he climbed the ladder with just a bit of apprehension. His grandmother stood at the top against the wall, in front of the family crest, which was, coincidentally, exactly what he'd come for. He needed that shield…

"Link, I saw…" she began, trembling, "…I saw Aryll carried away by a horrible bird! Please Link; tell me it isn't true…" She broke down at the end, overcome by grief.

"Grandma, you have to try and be strong," Link said reassuringly, hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll bring Aryll back."

The old woman looked up at her grandson. "You?"

"Yes." He grinned. "I'm going off with the pirates to a place called the Forsaken Fortress. I'll rescue her and bring her back here!"

"Oh, my Link," she said through tears. "But…it's so far away, and you could get hurt…"

"I don't care," Link said firmly, bent on saving his sister. "I'm going to save Aryll!" He embraced his grandmother with his last words. "I'll be home soon Grandma."

His grandmother sighed slowly, as if considering his plan, though her mind was already made up. "Link…this shield…have I told you the story behind it?"

Link stared. _Story?_ This was new. "No Grandma, you haven't," he replied.

She smiled. "Well. This shield has been passed down through our family for generation upon generation. No one can tell its exact origins, but legend has it that this shield was used by…the Hero of Time himself."

Link gaped in awe. _The actual Hero's Shield?_ In his hands? "Grandma, I…"

"Maybe this means he'll be watching you on your journey." She handed the shield over slowly. "Be safe Link," she said.

"Don't worry, I will," he said determinedly.

She smiled. "You're going to do great things Link, I just know it."

The boy smiled, took one last look at the old lady who had been the only person besides Aryll he'd ever called family, turned, and jumped over the edge.

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"I don't believe this," Tetra growled, spitting in the sand. "That's it Senza, pack everything in and let's shove off."

"Uh…Miss Tetra?" the big pirate said hesitantly.

"What is it now?" Her voice had a dangerous tone to it.

Senza simply pointed across the beach, where the green-clad figure of Link was tearing as fast as it could toward the ship.

"So, you decided to come after all," Tetra said sarcastically as Link finally reached his destination.

"Yep," Link gasped out between pants, "wouldn't miss it for anything."

"Well now, it looks like we're all set then," Quill observed, landing beside them.

Tetra glared. "What're you still doing here?"

Quill returned the icy stare. "What I do and where I go is my business, not yours."

"Hey, I could say the same thing to you, feather-brain," Tetra shot back.

The postman sighed. "I don't have time for this. I must return to Dragon Roost Island." He turned to Link. "Link, I wish you the best of luck. I have no doubt that you will succeed in rescuing your sister."

Link nodded. "Thank you Quill."

Without another word, the Rito took off into the sky and flew off into the northern horizon.

"What are you gawking at?" Tetra said snidely. "Come on; let's get on board before I need a cane."

The three walked up the ramp to the bow, where the rest of what appeared to be the crew was waiting. There were three little guys and two other big guys, plus Senza and Tetra, Link noticed, none too happily. They all looked like bloodthirsty scoundrels, ready to slit someone's throat at a moment's notice. Well, the bigger guys did, at least.

"So, who's in charge here?" Link asked, not having figured it out yet.

Tetra gave him a pitying look as though he were an idiot. "I am, stupid. Who'd you think ran this operation?"

Link was taken aback. "Y-you're in charge here? But you're a—" He stopped, realizing what he had almost said would have gotten him in a lot of trouble.

Tetra's eyes narrowed. "What? A girl?"

If he could have shrunk into nothing right then and there rather than face her, Link would have gladly done so. "Well, you gotta admit, it is a little unusual," he said sheepishly, taking care to focus intently on some imaginary object on the deck.

Surprisingly, she didn't throttle him like he expected her to. Instead, she simply sighed and said, "You don't get out much, do you?" Without waiting for a reply, she called out, "All right you slobs! Line up now!"

The other six hurriedly scrambled into line so that the three big guys were behind the three little guys. Link noticed they all wore white, baggy trousers.

"All right boys," she said civilly, "pay attention now, because I'm only giving you one chance to get this through those heads of yours. We've got a newcomer on board as you may have noticed, so I'm going to introduce you lot. Anyone who so much as utters a peep while I'm talking gets a month of cleaning duty. Clear?"

"Aye!" they all shouted. Link was surprised at how they didn't even question her harsh order.

"In the back row," Tetra started, pointing at the three bigger ones, "are Senza, Gonzo, and Nudge, from left to right."

"Okay," Link said, nodding, doing his best not to annoy her with the thousands of questions he was dying to ask.

"Front row," she continued. "That's Niko, Mako, and Zuko." She pointed to the one on the left, the smallest one of them all. He had dirty, brown hair and a single tooth poked out of his mouth, giving him a comical look. "Niko there is the cabin boy. He'll show you around. If you have questions, ask him or Senza." Finally, she turned to him. "Guys, this is Link."

Link gaped. "How…how did you know my name?"

"That's what bird-man called you, wasn't it?" she replied.

"Oh yeah," he said, remembering the conversation.

He was about to say something else when Niko grabbed his arm and started hauling him away toward the below decks, saying, "All right my new swabbie, time to show you the ropes around here…"

"Swabbie?" Link repeated in a somewhat worried tone. "What does that mean? Does it hurt?"

Tetra waved cheerily. "You'll find out. Now I suggest you take one last look at that island of yours before we lose sight of it. Looks to me like they've got some sort of farewell gathering for you there on the shore."

Link, upon hearing this, managed to break free of Niko's death grip and ran to the stern to see all the islanders he'd grown up with gathered on the beach, waving to him, wishing him good luck, all sorts of things.

He acknowledged them with a wave, knowing his voice wouldn't carry all the way back there. He took one especially long last look at his grandmother before allowing himself to be half led, half dragged down below by Niko.

--------

"So, how long do you think he'll last?" Nudge inquired, grinning.

Gonzo shrugged. "I dunno. I give him a few hours before he gets all weepy from homesickness, yeah? Why do ya think we even bothered draggin' the little shrimp along?"

Nudge made a noncommittal grunting noise while leaning on the mast. "Well, the way I sees it, I say Miss Tetra just likes being a good sport, is all."

Gonzo reached into his pocket upon hearing this. "Speaking of sport, how much you want to bet he starts whining by midday? Ten pieces of silver says he does."

Nudge was about to take his companion's wager when a sharp voice cut in, "What exactly are you two boneheads doing?" The two turned around to see Tetra standing behind them, arms crossed.

"We were just betting on how long the twerp lasts before he whines to go back," Gonzo said offhandedly. "I've got ten pieces of silver on midday, but you can be in for—"

"Now let me tell you something," Tetra interrupted with an icy stare. "If you two've got nothing better to do with your time than make idiotic bets, then perhaps you need something to occupy yourselves with." She held out a bucket and two mops. "Care if I make a few suggestions?"

--------

"Since you're now my swabbie," Niko was saying, "which by the way is the lowest rung on the pirate ladder, you have to do everything I tell you. Got it?"

Link nodded a bit uneasily.

"Good," Niko continued. "Now that means you get all the worst chores."

Link again nodded, now fairly uneasy.

Niko was busy ticking the "worst chores" off on his fingers. "You've gotta scrub the deck, wash the dishes after meals, and the best one of all," he said, leaning forward with a grin, "do the laundry."

"Now hold on a minute," Link protested, pushing the little pirate's now-maniacal-looking mug out of his face. "Tetra said she'd take me to the Forsaken Fortress. She never said anything about scrubbing your filthy underwear."

"Personally," Niko said, "I don't think it's my underwear you have to worry about."

"That's not the point!" Link yelled, almost hysterical. "I'm not doing laundry and that's that."

"Hmph." Niko frowned and leaned against the wall. "You don't make a very good swabbie, you know that, right?"

Link was about to draw his sword and demonstrate exactly why he didn't make a good swabbie when Tetra's voice floated down the stairs: "Hey you two! Stop messing around and get up on deck!"

Thankful for an excuse to get away from Niko and his dirty laundry, Link raced up to the deck with all speed, halting on top level and nearly crashing straight into Tetra, who was standing at the top of the stairs.

"Will you watch where you're going?" she sighed. "As you may have guessed, the Forsaken Fortress is a bit of a ways away from here. It'll take a lot of time to sail that distance, so we'll be reaching our destination…" she stared off into space, calculating in her head, "…probably around nightfall a couple days from now." She turned and gestured toward Niko. "This bozo hasn't been harassing you, has he?"

"As a matter of fact—" Link began.

"I was just showing him the ropes," Niko put in quickly, shuffling his feet.

Tetra leaned casually against the mast. "Good, because I don't want to hear about you forcing chores on newcomers again. Last time you pulled that stunt the poor guy threw himself overboard, screaming something about underwear."

--------

"Lookout duty," Zuko explained, "is easy enough, as long as you don't fall asleep on the job or anything." He leaned against the edge of the crow's nest and paused a moment for the dramatic element. "It's pretty much what I do. Sit up here and stare out at the open sea. In fact, I usually only take one night off each week."

Link stared. "You must know the ocean pretty well then…"

Zuko nodded. "Oh yeah. I know the Great Sea like the back o' this 'ere ship's slop hall—dinin' quarters, that is."

Link was about ask Zuko exactly why the dining quarters were called the "slop hall" when suddenly Zuko went rigid and pointed straight off to the starboard side.

"See that?" he said quietly. Link looked over and had to admit he didn't. "That," Zuko prodded, grabbing Link's head none too gently and swiveling it in the right direction.

Finally he saw it. It didn't look like much, just a minute brown blob sticking out of the water. "What, that?" Link inquired, leaning over the side. "What's so bad about—" He was cut off at that moment by his need to duck out of the way of some sort of fist-sized missile heading straight at him. Getting up, he stammered, "Wh—what was that?"

Zuko grinned lopsidedly. "Aye, that be an octorok. Not too dangerous really, just a bit of a nuisance. All you've got to do," he swiftly took out a sling and loaded it with a stone, "is hit it squarely on that thick skull it has." He proceeded to fling the stone at the creature, which squealed and sank into the ocean after the shot struck it between the eyes.

Link gaped. "Whoa…that was amazing! How do you know to look out for all these things Zuko?"

The pirate smiled. "Just lots and lots of experience."

Link nodded. "And that's how you don't fall asleep on watch, right?"

At this, Zuko shook his head slowly and motioned to the all-too-apparent dark circles under his eyes. "No…I just don't sleep at all."

--------

The warm night wind blew gently across Link's face, bringing with it memories of home—and his sister. He was determined now, more than ever, to rescue her at whatever cost. One side of him was doubtful though. How could he ever hope to defeat a monster of such size? It had simply swooped down and snatched up Aryll like nothing at all… Mentally, he told himself not to think like that. If he was going to rescue his sister, he'd need to believe in himself.

He'd gotten a good rest over the past couple days in between Niko's bizarre chores and Gonzo's nauseating cooking (he and Nudge switched off regularly, though the latter was much more preferred than the former), and now, come nightfall, he felt alert and ready for anything. He'd climbed up to the crow's nest to get a better view of the horizon, wanting to see this dreaded fortress for himself. He'd found himself alone for the moment; it was presumably Zuko's aforementioned "one night off a week".

"What are you doing up here?"

Link turned quickly to see Tetra standing behind him, looking half-angry, half-amused. "Well?" she persisted.

"I…uh…" he stammered, losing his train of thought for a moment. Regaining his composure, he said, "I was waiting up here so I could see this fortress for myself. I want to be ready."

Tetra's expression softened and she came to stand by him, leaning on the edge with him. "You must miss her, huh?"

Link was slightly taken aback by her change in mood, but he ignored it. "Yeah, we're really close. You know, today was supposed to be my birthday, and she gave me her telescope as a present."

"That's terrible," Tetra said sincerely.

Link knew she meant it, though in the back of his mind he still wondered why she was being so nice to him.

She seemed to sense it though, and said, "Let me guess. You're wondering why I'm acting like this, right?"

"Uh…" Link blushed, knowing he'd been found out.

She smiled. "Look, I'm not really that bad a person or anything. It's just that no one's ever really gotten to know me."

Link grinned back. "Well I guess I'm the first then, huh?"

She nodded. "Look, Link…"

"Yeah?" he said inquisitively.

"Um…be careful, okay?" Tetra said slowly. "They say this bird—the Helmaroc King, he's supposedly called—doesn't live at the fortress alone. They say he answers to his master, a dark, evil figure not above sending his little pet out to…well, you know."

"I will," Link replied. "And thank you."

"Forsaken Fortress, sighted off the port bow!" called Senza's voice. Link looked out into the distance, straining his eyes to see through the darkness.

He could just make out a dark mass jutting out from the otherwise smooth horizon line up ahead. His heart sank a little when he realized that it looked almost as big as Outset Island.

"All right!" Tetra called down. "Drop anchor! This should do!"

"Why are we stopping?" Link wondered. "You're going to get me into the fortress, right?"

"Sure we are," she replied nonchalantly, already on her way down the ladder. "Come down here and I'll explain."

Back down on the deck, Link had a much more straight-on view of the place. Much to his dismay, it looked even bigger from his new vantage point, much bigger than his home. Outset Island was starting to seem pretty small right about now.

"This place used to be the hangout of a rival group," Tetra said matter-of-factly, gesturing off into space. "They disbanded a while ago though. Now, no one goes near it, mainly because that crazed bird picks off anyone who tries."

"Oh." Link's shoulders sagged as he contemplated these new developments. He couldn't see any plausible way into that place. It seemed all but hopeless to him.

"Hey, hey, what's that look about?" Tetra said reprovingly. "I said I'd get you into that fortress, didn't I? Well, that's what I'm gonna do."

"But how?" Link said, completely at a loss. "You just said it yourself—"

But Tetra was already shouting out orders. "Senza, keep 'er steady! Gonzo, bring out the long barrel! Mako, make sure the trajectory's right…"

"'Long barrel'?" Link repeated incredulously. "What's that?"

He found his question answered when Gonzo hauled out from the storage deck a huge dangerous-looking cannon. The idea dawned on Link, and he took a step back uneasily.

"Wait…you're not really going to—"

"Don't worry kid, we're pros at this," Gonzo proclaimed, lifting Link up easily and plopping him down unceremoniously into the cannon.

"Pros?" Link echoed. "You've done this before?"

"Well, sure," Tetra replied, eyeing Mako's trajectory charts. "And Gonzo's right, we're pros at this. We hardly ever miss."

"_Hardly ever?_" Link repeated, his voice shaking with what could only have been disbelief. "Uh-uh. No way. You're not shooting me out of this…this _thing_. It's suicide!"

"This whole idea is suicide," Tetra replied casually, taking one last glance at the trajectory charts. "Didn't seem to stop you. Now you want to rescue your sister or not?"

"Well, of course I do, but—"

"Happy landings then!"

"Wait, I—AAAAHHHH!"

Link's voice faded into the night as he was blasted into the air, over the walls of the Forsaken Fortress.

--------

All he felt at first was a rushing sensation. Everything was going so fast…the fortress walls were rushing toward him at frightening speed, and for a moment Link was afraid he'd smack right into them. But he sailed harmlessly overhead, the fear of his flight starting to leave him. But then another thought struck him: _How would he land?_ Smashing into the hard, stone ground definitely wasn't an option. But he glanced downward and saw a small, man-made cove inside the walls, which, quite conveniently, looked to be where he was flying toward. He wondered secretly whether or not Tetra knew that was there.

The wind picked up suddenly, and Link started to tumble in midair, head over heels. He felt something slide against his back, and then with a metallic squeal, the sword flew out of its sheath and twirled off through the air. Link cried out when he noticed it, but there was nothing he could do about it. As he tumbled he just saw it land on a ledge on one of the upper floors, and then—

_Splash._

"Ugh…," he groaned, treading water and holding his head at the same time. "What a rush…I don't think I'd want to do that again…"

He slowly dragged himself onto dry land and sat against a wall for a moment, catching his breath. He seemed to be all in one piece, minus his sword.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I hadn't counted on the wind."

"What?" Link said incredulously. He suspected he'd gone crazy just for attempting this wild rescue mission, but he hadn't expected to start hearing voices this early. "Who's that?"

"The stone. In your pocket."

Still mystified, Link reached into the pocket of his tunic and produced a glowing, aqua-hued stone. He'd never seen it before, and was about to inquire exactly where it had come from, when it continued, "Link, this is Tetra. I slipped this stone in your pocket before we shot you out of the cannon. It lets me talk to you and see you, but it's only one way, so you can't see me. You can still talk to me though. Listen, your sword landed somewhere on the upper floor."

"Huh?" Link said, still a little dazed. "Oh, the sword, right. Hey look, I'm not really sure where to go, so I'm just kinda going to wander around a bit, and—"

"No, Link! Don't to that!"

It was too late. Not thinking, Link stepped out into an open area unsuspectingly. Instantly, spotlights were upon him, and shouts could be heard nearby.

"Oh great…," Tetra groaned.

"Hey! What's a little squirt like you doing here?" a voice said from behind. Link turned and came face-to-face with a moblin, just like the one he'd seen in the forest. He reached for his sword, and remembered it had fallen out. He realized he was defenseless.

"Well? Are you going to answer me?" the moblin prodded. Link kept determinedly silent. "Well, if you won't say anything, then you'll have to come with me. No funny business now!"

Without a word, Link allowed himself to be led away by the creature.

--------

"So where'd you come from?"

Aryll glanced upward to the source of the voice and locked eyes with a girl about the same age as she. The girl was dressed in a dirty brown tunic and had a disheveled look about her features.

"Well?"

Aryll was intimidated by this wild-looking figure, but gathered herself together and said, "O…Outset Island."

The girl sat down next to her. "Outset Island? Never heard of that place before…but my name's Maggie and I'm from Windfall Island. What's your name?"

Aryll gaped. "You're from Windfall Island? I've heard of that place! It's supposed to be a real nice little village island, and—" She blushed, remembering her manners. "Oh, sorry, my name's Aryll."

Maggie sighed. "So the bird got you too, huh? Well, at least you're not sitting around moping like _her_…" She pointed off to a corner of their cell, where a third girl sat, her head buried in her knees. Aryll assumed she was crying.

"Who's that?" she asked, feeling a little better now that she had someone to talk to.

Maggie grimaced. "That…" she said with a sigh, "…is Mila. She comes from the same island I do. Except…"

"She's rich?" Aryll guessed, taking note of Mila's fancy, elaborate clothing.

"Got it. And because of that, at the first sign of things not going her way, she breaks out in a fit. It's good to know I've got someone to talk to other than Ms. Filthy Rich."

Aryll felt a little sorry for Mila, but at the same time also pitied Maggie. Judging by her simple clothing, she was one of the less-fortunate people of Windfall Island…but she kept that to herself. "Oh, I'm not worried at all."

Maggie appeared surprised. "Really? You're not?"

Aryll smiled. "Nope! Because I just know my big brother's coming here right now to save me!"

Maggie sat back and stared up at the ceiling. "Well, for our sakes and his, I just hope he hasn't been caught."

--------

"How could you let yourself get caught? It's such a rookie mistake," Tetra berated, Link lying on the hard stone floor of his cramped cell.

"Look, I messed up once," Link replied, irritated. "It won't happen again. All I've gotta do is find a way out of here."

"Well you better start thinking. Something tells me you don't have much time. Look around the room for something that might be of use."

Link proceeded to gaze around intently, but the only things in his cell were a tiny cot, a small wooden table, a couple of stools, and a few clay pots.

"I've gotta tell you, I won't be escaping anytime soon with a few odds and ends and a table," Link said hopelessly. "Maybe I should just give up…"

But an idea suddenly dawned on him, and just as Tetra started yelling at him to drop the wishy-washy attitude, he got up and started crashing his shield noisily against the cell bars.

"What in the high seas are you doing!?" Tetra demanded.

Link shushed her quickly. "Be quiet for a minute. I'm kind of counting on the fact that moblins aren't too bright…"

--------

"Hey," one moblin guard grunted to the other. "You hear that?"

They listened for a minute, and could faintly hear something coming from down the hall.

_Clang…clang…clang…_

"What in blazes is that?" the other moblin said questioningly. "If those rats 'ave gotten into the larder again…"

The first moblin shushed him. "Come on, let's go check it out. We may get to club something real nice while we're at it…"

--------

"That should be enough," Link said, out of breath. "Hopefully someone around here heard that."

"So now what?" Tetra said testily. "You've obviously gotten the attention of _someone_."

Link sighed with satisfaction. "You just wait and see." He quickly ducked into a pot in the corner of the cell.

His timing couldn't have been better. Footsteps echoed throughout the hall as two moblin guards came blundering to the cell door.

"Hey, where is he?" one said. "He couldn't have gotten out!"

"Don't worry," the other replied. "He's just hiding. Come on, let's find 'im…"

They unlocked the door and stepped in, sniffing through the nooks and crannies of the cramped stone cell. This was, coincidentally, just what Link had been waiting for. Silently he abandoned his hiding spot and, while the moblins had their backs turned, simply walked right out the door. Wasting no time, he slammed the door shut and locked it.

"What the…" The two moblins turned around to see Link standing outside the cell, twirling the key nonchalantly on his finger. "Hey! Let us out of here!"

Link said nothing, but tossed the key out a barred window. "Whoops, guess I dropped it." He turned back to them and grinned. "Don't worry though; I'll go and get help!" He turned on his heel and ran down the hall.

--------

"That has to have been the most insane plan I've ever witnessed," Tetra said resignedly.

"Well, I'm not your average, everyday hero," Link confessed, half-jokingly. "Now, how to get to the top…"

"Why the top?" Tetra wondered.

Link sighed. "Where else would you keep someone hostage?"

He quickly came to the end of the hall. There was a door there, decorated by two brightly glowing torches. Being careful not to make a sound, Link slowly slid the door open and peered through.

It was the outside again! He stepped through the doorway and out into the night air. The outside world felt relieving to him; he was now free of his cell and the moblin guards. He felt like jumping up and down with joy, he felt like—

"Link? Link! Don't get all loopy," Tetra reprimanded.

Link got hold of himself hurriedly. "Oh yeah, sorry 'bout that…"

Now that he was back on the outside, he was able to take stock of how big the place really was. The fortress was more than twice as big as Outset Island, which intimidated him somewhat. He used to imagine that his home island was the biggest island in all of the Great Sea. Now, reality was much different. He was in a whole different world now, with new rules.

The fortress seemed to be arranged in a pentagonal pattern, with towers at each of the "points". One tower was bigger than all the rest, stretching high into the night sky to the point where he couldn't even see it anymore. One thing about this tower caught his eye though: at one lit window, seagulls flocked restlessly, crying out and dive-bombing the stone wall, as if trying to get in. Instantly he remembered Aryll and how she always played with the seagulls in their lookout tower, and he said to Tetra, "That must be where she is! In that room with the seagulls!"

Tetra sighed audibly. "If that makes you happy, then go for it. But that tower'll probably be guarded, and—"

But another idea was already forming in Link's head. Wasting no time, he ran across the same open courtyard where he'd been caught before, being careful to dodge the searchlights, and came to the edge of the canal. It ran straight into the large tower.

"Mind letting me in on it?" Tetra said inquisitively.

"You'll find out," Link replied simply.

--------

The Forsaken Fortress had one interesting quirk, among others: its inhabitant, whomever that may have been, was constantly dredging the ocean floor. Every day barrels were sunk down to the bottom, dragged along the floor, and brought back up. These barrels were then floated down the fortress' internal "canal" and then examined.

The examination took place inside the fortress, usually by moblins.

"What exactly is it you think boss is looking for?" one said.

"How should I know? Besides, it's not our job to know things like that," another replied.

The two picked up a barrel that was floating by and unceremoniously dumped out its contents. Mud, rocks, plants, and other minerals of sorts fell to the ground.

"What'd boss say to bring to him?" the first said. "Anything shiny?"

"Um…yeah, I think that was it. He said 'Bring me anything shiny that you find.' You think he's looking for treasure?"

Their conversation went on like that for a while. They stuck to their routine in the meantime, dumping the contents of incoming barrels, tossing empty barrels aside, and picking up new ones. And so it went on in that fashion, endlessly.

They deftly hoisted up another barrel. "Oy, this one's pretty light!" the second moblin said. "I'd be curious to know what's in here…"

With a grunt the two upended the barrel and shook it viciously. To their shock and surprise, out tumbled not dirt and seaweed, but a little kid!

"What the…," one mumbled, not really comprehending what had just happened. He didn't have any time to do anything else. With a cry the kid got up and shoved the two of them over the edge and into the canal.

--------

Link breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn't been sure if they were falling for his ruse when they felt the light weight of his barrel, but they'd gone through with it. Now, to get to the top of the tower…

"You mind letting me in on what you just did?" Tetra said testily.

"Hey, hey, what's that tone about?" Link said, pretending not to notice her question.

"Very funny."

"I got us inside, didn't I?"

--------

Climbing the tower was, to Link's great surprise, fairly uneventful. It consisted of a winding spiral staircase with a couple rooms or hallways branching off at each new floor. Link ignored these and kept climbing determinedly, figuring the top floor was where he wanted to get to. Security was pretty minimal; the most he ever had to do was dart by when no one was looking. Other than that, he had no problems.

…Until he got to the top floor, that is. Much to Link's dismay, right at the top of the staircase was a huge, muscular-looking moblin, guarding a big wooden door. He knew he'd have to get past him somehow, but as quickly ducked back down the staircase to avoid being seen, he felt his back bump into something that quickly shifted. He turned quickly and before he could do anything, the thing he'd bumped—a barrel, ironically—clattered noisily down the stairs and smashed against a wall.

"Hey! Who's there?" the moblin shouted. "Come out and show yourself!"

"Now you've done it…" Tetra reprimanded. "You don't even have a sword now!"

Link sighed. "Thanks for the help."

"You!" the moblin exclaimed. "I'll cut yer insides out an' feed 'em to the fishes…"

"Did you hear that?" Link said in an off-hand tone, "He's threatening me!"

"Gee, I really hadn't noticed," Tetra replied snidely.

"Hold still for a minute," the moblin said, advancing menacingly. "This'll be an 'ole lot easier if ye don't squirm…" He swiftly drew a sword out from behind his back. Its hilt was wound in leather with a sapphire engraved in both sides.

Link's mind raced. All he had was his shield, which was starting to seem smaller and smaller with each passing second. To add to the matter, this moblin seemed much bigger than any he'd come across thus far. He gazed at the sword the moblin held, not liking his chances at all. As he stared at the creature's weapon, he noticed something.

"Are you just going to stand there and let him cut you to pieces?" Tetra berated, just as Link was hit with realization.

"That's my sword!" Link cried, enraged.

"What the blazes are you talking about?" Tetra said, bewildered by this sudden turn of events.

"I dropped it, remember?" Link practically screamed into the glowing aqua stone. "And now he's got it!"

"Well, loads of good that'll do you now," the pirate replied.

But Link wasn't listening anymore. Without really thinking he darted forward and threw himself under the moblin, sliding between the hulking creature's legs. Nothing else for it, he grasped his shield and smashed the moblin over the head with it, feeling a satisfying _crack!_ as it connected with the creature's head.

Unfortunately, Link's valiant effort did nothing more than make the moblin angrier. With a roar it swung its leg in a sweeping circle, knocking Link's feet out from under him and sending him crashing down. Then, with a sick grin, it stabbed downward with the sword, aiming for Link's throat.

Reflexively, Link's hands shot up, and he felt the blade slash through his palms as his hands slid off the deathly keen steel. Then, in a last ditch effort, almost without realizing he'd done it, he grasped the hilt and held tight.

The moblin grunted for a split second, surprised that the little kid hadn't been skewered. In fact, he was holding on gamely, making the moblin struggle to keep control of the weapon.

Link, in turn, was altogether surprised to find himself in a situation such as this. It was funny, almost—the very blade Orca had entrusted him with was now inches away from piercing his throat, the blood from his hands flowing down the steel of the blade in some bizarre symbolic irony.

He thought back for a moment, remembering the pride and responsibility he'd felt when Orca first presented him the magnificent blade. His words had touched him more than anything: _"Only one with the heart and intentions of a hero can truly wield it!"_

_Only a hero can wield it…_ Just hearing these words in his head gave Link a new surge of energy. _This moblin can never use this sword the way I can!_ With a great cry he kicked out at the moblin's knees. The creature cried out as it toppled forward, throwing the sword up into the air. Link leapt up, caught the sword in mid-spin, and plunged downward, driving the blade right into the creature's back.

The moblin screamed, and like the creature from Great Fairy Forest, exploded into a cloud of purple smoke and disappeared.

Link collapsed to the ground, chest heaving. He was exhausted, though the bleeding from his hands had clotted, at least. He felt surprisingly little remorse for killing the moblin this time around, and figured Tetra had been right in saying he'd get used to it over time.

"Link…" Tetra said softly. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Link sighed. His tone changed. "Hey, I got my sword back!"

"Oh, whatever," Tetra laughed. "You really know how to ruin a moment, don't you?"

"If you say so." Link started back up the stairs, fully intent on his mission now. Slowly but surely he pushed open the wooden door atop the flight of stairs…

--------

Aryll sighed and hung her head resignedly. She only wished she could see her brother's smiling face again, but now she was certain she was going to die in this dank, stinking jail cell. Maggie had gone to sleep, leaving her absolutely no one to talk to.

Then, to her utmost astonishment, the heavy wooden door at the end of the room creaked open, and like a vision from a dream, like a gift from above, in walked the one person who she'd been hoping to see—her big brother!

"Link! Big Brother!" she cried, tears flowing freely, waking Maggie in the process. "You've come to save me!"

Link ran forth as well, the joy of seeing his sister alive and well too much to bear. "I was so worried," he said softly. "But I knew you'd be all right. Deep down…I knew you'd be able to make it through anything."

Aryll smiled. "And I knew my big brother would do anything to come save me!"

"But how are you going to get us out?" Maggie cut in. It was only then that Link realized Aryll wasn't alone.

Aryll blushed slightly. "Brother, this is Maggie, and that girl over there…" she gestured toward the back of the cell to a richly dressed girl with her head between her knees, "…is Mila."

"Well…it's nice to know you've made some friends," Link said, off-hand. He wasn't sure how he was going to explain this to Tetra…in any case, he was sure she wouldn't be too pleased. The truth was, he'd only planned on coming to get one person, and—

There was a nightmarish shriek from above, and Link looked up in time to see a hellish shadow flash by overhead. "It's him!" Aryll cried hopelessly. "It's that bird that brought me here!"

"The Helmaroc King…" Link murmured. "Quick! Get down!" He dove for cover, but it was too late. With an ear-shattering screech the enormous bird dove down, engulfing Link in a shower of feathers. He had barely any time to react before he felt the beast's horrible beak bite roughly into the back of his tunic and before he knew it, he was being airlifted up, away from his sister.

"Link!" Aryll screamed. "Link! Come back!"

Her cries fell on deaf ears. By now, Link was well out of earshot, lifted up and away into the night sky. He struggled fiercely, trying to reach his sword, but the Helmaroc King's beak impeded his progress. He took one last look down at his ever-shrinking sister before the bird banked sharply, heading towards one of the towers of the fortress.

From his vantage point he could see Tetra's ship still at rest just outside the walls, and indeed, a moment later he heard, "Link, this is Tetra. You're going out of the stone's range. I can hardly see you anymore. Are you—"

Link was going to shout something back, but he figured it was no use; Tetra couldn't hear him anymore, so he sat idle, awaiting his fate.

The bird eventually brought him to a well-lit tower and hovered outside, apparently waiting for something. Link strained to see, but eventually there emerged a tall, dark figure. Link couldn't make out his features, but he seemed to be wearing a black robe. He made a quick jerking motion with his neck, as if dismissing Link.

The bird suddenly brought its neck down, and for a moment it seemed to Link as though the Helmaroc King was bowing to its master. But the next second it flung its head back and let go of Link, sending him hurling through the night sky.

Link cried out as he flew, unaware of where he was or what he might land on. The stars above mingled with the sea below as he tumbled through the air. Then he felt himself crash into the water with shocking force, and remembered no more.

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**Author's Note:** A quick word about updates, actually. This is meant to be a five-part story, with each "part" being a chapter roughly equal to the length of this one, if not longer. As such, don't expect updates very quickly. Twenty to thirty pages don't generally fly off the top of my head all that quickly, so please be patient.

Another thing to note is that this story kind of takes a back seat to _New Order_, my other project. I will, in general, make more of an effort to update that than I will this, so again, try to bear with me on this story; I will get around to it eventually.

**Next:** Dragon Roost and Forest Haven


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